Once a Jew, Always a Jew?

Once a Jew, Always a Jew?

by Jerusalem Institute of Justice
http://www.jij.org.il/index.php

“Even if a Jew were to (renounce his Judaism), and even if every Christian priest in the world were to baptize such Jew into Christianity, he would remain a Jew”

Interestingly, the above quote is taken not from Messianic Jewish literature, but from a ruling handed down by a rabbinic court in Israel. The rabbinic court system has a reputation for being all over the map regarding many issues, and there is no matter which brings this phenomenon to light more clearly than the issue of conversion to Judaism. A new report recently issued by the “Itim” NGO has shed new light on the flawed nature of the orthodox-dominated conversion process in Israel – according to the report, conversions dropped some twenty percent in 2008; moreover, the conversion system is marred among other things by conflicting rabbinic opinions and unjust conversion annulments.

The statistics paint an interesting picture. Just 5,321 conversions were performed in 2008, as opposed to 7,280 in 2007. The crucial demographic of new immigrants from the Former Soviet Union saw a drop of some twenty percent, with less than 1,000 people successfully completing conversion in 2008. This may set back by several centuries the hopes of fully integrating the hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jewish descendents who are not recognized as Jews in Israel. Similarly, almost thirty percent less immigrants from Ethiopia converted during the same period.

During 2008, rabbinical courts attempted to annul a number of completed conversions for unjust and even ludicrous reasons. For example, a court in Jerusalem invalidated a conversion because the convert’s father was a Reform rabbi. In another case, a court in Ashdod unilaterally decided that certain rabbis in the rabbinic conversion establishment (of which said court is a part) were “unqualified” to perform conversions and consequently annulled a conversion previously conducted.

Perhaps most outrageous of all, however, are the conflicting rabbinic opinions cited in the report. Even though conversion annulments are regular, several justices at the highest rabbinic level believe that a conversion can never be annulled. According to a decision of Justices Brali, Tzarfati, and Bass:

“In the world of Hebrew jurisprudence there is no force capable of changing a Jew…into a gentile. Even if the Jew were to desire this, and even if every Christian priest in the world were to baptize such Jew into Christianity, he would remain a Jew. Moreover, if a convert to Judaism wishes to deny his Judaism, he will not be able to do so and return to his previous faith. He is and will always remain a Jew, and there is no way in the world to take this away from him.”

Many Messianic Jews would undoubtedly concur.

Ironically, Orthodox parties in the Knesset have consistently ignored rabbinic opinion when it suits their purposes – in other words, when they lobby for legislation aimed at delegitimizing those who do not conform to their radical worldview. The Law of Return, for example, was amended in 1970 by a coalition of religious parties to state that a Jew who has “changed his religion” may not immigrate

The Lamb of God

The Land and Scripture in History

14 Aviv| Master is tried, executed on cross, and buried (Matthew 26:57-27:61)

15 Aviv | Barley sheaves harvested in evening (Leviticus 23:3)

15 Aviv / 21 Aviv | Meal of Messiah (Traditional)

The Lamb of God

In this, the beginning of months, we will have many opportunities for practically living out the words of the Scripture. We will be able to prepare for Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and to begin the counting of the omer. We are also able to recount the time when the Lamb of God was sent to take away the sin of the world.

As stated above, there is so much that could be written about the month of Nissan (a.k.a. Aviv, which literally means ripe and by extension springtime). This eRosh will speak mostly of one aspect of the Passover Seder meal. Specifically, the four "I will" statements that the Holy One made as recorded in Exodus 6:6-7 will be mentioned.

Remember, in the book of Exodus, the children of Israel had cried out to the Holy One because they had become slaves in Egypt. Not only were their freedoms taken from them, but they were being brutally mistreated and abused. This was the normality for the kingdom in which they were in forced servitude.

The account continues to describe that despite the horrid treatment the descendants of Jacob held to a hope in the promise of deliverance. They knew that God would not forsake his promise to the patriarchs. At the appointed time, the Holy One would deliver them. He told Moses to tell Israel the following, which are listed by the corresponding cups in the Seder meal.

First Cup - I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. Second Cup - I will deliver you from slavery to them. Third Cup - I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. Fourth Cup - I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians

Just as the Israelites were in bitter bondage to Egypt and its wicked king, we find ourselves enslaved to a more fiercely cruel tyrant and the world. This makes the redemption even sweeter and more rich. If we look at each of the cups, we can catch the beginning glimpse of what our atonement through Messiah has produced for our eternal lives.

Looking specifically at the fourth cup, we can see that the Holy One has done all to ensure a relationship with His people. To be certain, this is not just a casual relationship, but an intimate relationship as close as a husband and wife (Hosea 2:19-20). As such, the Holy One has called for us to live as called and brought out people.

So as you partake of the Passover Seder this month, may you call to remembrance the deliverances and great calling that Hashem has done on your behalf and may you be blessed in the grace and knowledge of our redemption through Messiah Yeshua, the Lamb of God that took away the sin of the world.

Finally, those in Messiah are blessed to join with John, the beloved, and offer praise "to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" Revelation 1:5-6.

Chag Pesach Sameach!

[FFOZ] Shabbat Chol HaMoed of Passover

Parashat Hashavuah

Shabbat Chol HaMoed of Passover
Torah : Exodus 33:12-34:26
Haftarah : Ezekiel 37:1-14

Spiritual Matzah

Thought for the Week

Passover is an opportune time to break with our past and start over as new creatures in Messiah. Passover is an annual reminder that we must leave the old culture behind. Every Passover is a chance to start over. At Passover we remember that we have left our spiritual Egypt. We are free from the past, and we need to set aside those things in our lives that continue to enslave us. After all, starting over is what it means to be born again.

Commentary

The Torah explains the significance of unleavened matzah bread in that the children of Israel did not have time to let their bread rise before they had to leave Egypt. They were in such a hurry that they only had time to bake the dough before leaving. To commemorate the exodus, leaven is removed at Passover and unleavened matzah bread is eaten for seven days.

Matzah refers to a special type of flat, cracker-like bread. In order to be Passover matzah, the bread dough must be baked less than eighteen minutes after the flour is moistened with water. If the dough is not baked within eighteen minutes of being moistened, it begins to ferment from the naturally occurring leavening agents in the atmosphere.

In ancient times, there were only two ways to leaven bread dough. One way was to mix the flour with water and let it stand until it began to ferment naturally. More typically, a small batch of already leavened starter dough left over from the previous day's batch was tossed in with the flour and water. The old culture of leaven in the starter dough quickly spread through the new batch of dough. As the saying goes, "A little leaven leavens the whole lump" (1 Corinthians 5:6). By means of this method, a single culture of leaven was passed on from loaf to loaf to loaf, day to day. This is how sourdough bread is still made today.

The commandment to remove all leaven prior to the festival makes this second method of leavening impossible. The starter dough would have to be disposed of prior to the festival because it is already leavened. This is the imagery that the Apostle Paul is referring to when he says, "Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). The old starter-dough leaven represents our old way of life. It is sin, godlessness, bad company, bad habits and all the things that taint our lives. Like an old culture of leavened starter dough, those things continue to leaven our lives from day to day, conforming us to our past. Paul urges us to make a clean break with the old culture and to start over as a new batch, like unleavened bread.

When the children of Israel left Egypt, they were leaving behind their old culture. While in Egypt they had absorbed much of the wickedness and idolatry of Egyptian society. The unleavened bread symbolized a new beginning. They were starting over. 

Biblical Aviv Calendar for 5769-2009

Biblical Aviv Calendar 5769 - 2009

http://www.seedofabraham.net/06days.htm

1. March 27th
The Biblical New Year begins with the sighting of the new moon after sunset. It’s the First of Aviv (Ex. 12:2). This is not a Sabbath.

2. April 10th
The 14th of Aviv. In ancient times the Passover lamb was slain in the afternoon. This is not a Sabbath.

3. April 11th
The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The 15th of Aviv. The first annual Sabbath (Lev. 23:7). The Passover Meal is eaten the evening before on Friday night the 10th of April.

4. April 12th
First Sheaf. This is not a Sabbath but the day that the High Priest waved the barley grain (Lev. 23:9-11), and the day of Yeshua’s ascension (Jn. 20:17).

5. April 17th
The 7th day of Unleavened Bread. The second annual Sabbath. The 21st of Aviv (Lev. 23:9).

6. May 31st
Shavuot (Feast of Weeks/Pentecost). The third annual Sabbath (Lev. 23:15-21; Acts 2).

7. September 21st
The Feast of Trumpets. The first day of the 7th month. The fourth annual Sabbath (Lev. 23:24).

8. September 30th
The Day of Atonement. The 10th day of the 7th month. The fifth annual Sabbath (Lev. 23:27-32).

9. October 5th
Sukote. The 15th day of the 7th month. The sixth annual Sabbath (Lev. 23:34-35).

10. October 12th
The Eighth Day. The 22nd day of the 7th month. The seventh annual Sabbath (Lev. 23:39).

We celebrate Hanuka and Purim at the same time that the traditional Jewish community does because both of these festivals aren’t holy days or times, but holidays. Therefore, there’s no biblical need to have their dates line up with the new moon sightings.

Tetzaveh - תצוה : "You shall command" Kohenim

Parashat Hashavuah

Tetzaveh - תצוה : "You shall command"
Torah : Exodus 27:20-30:10
Haftarah : Ezekiel 43:10-27
Gospel : Mark 12

Kohenim (Priests)

Thought for the Week

"For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest [i.e. the Messiah] also have something to offer. Now if [Messiah] were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Torah; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things." (Hebrews 8:3-5)

Commentary

Then bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. (Exodus 28:1)

Not long after separating from Judaism, Christianity developed a clerical class responsible for shepherding the people, officiating at services and conducting the sacraments. The clerical class of presbyters came to be called priests. However, the various priesthoods of Christendom are different from the priesthood of the Bible. The biblical priesthood is unrelated to the priesthood that operates within Christianity.

What is a biblical priest?

The Hebrew word for "priest" is kohen (כהן). If you are Jewish and have a last name like Cohen, Kowen, Kahan or Koen, you are probably a descendent of Moses' brother Aaron and his sons. Your ancestors served as priests in the Tabernacle and in the Temple in Jerusalem.

In the Bible, only the descendants of Aaron could be priests. They were born into the position. Priests did not undertake vows of celibacy. Instead, priesthood was passed on through families. The descendents of Aaron have attempted to preserve their family lineage through the generations. The priests are a special family group within the Jewish people. Most Jewish communities have several families that belong to the priesthood.

Priests and rabbis are not the same. A rabbi is someone who has gone to rabbinical school (yeshivah) and received rabbinic ordination by an official ordaining body within Judaism. Any Jew can become a rabbi, and a single Jewish community often has many rabbis.

To this day, the priests retain their priestly status in Judaism. Descendants of the Aaron are still subject to special restrictions and laws of Torah that applied to the biblical priesthood. Moreover, the priests enjoy special privileges in the synagogue and serve in certain ritual functions. For example, if a priest is present on Sabbath, he is given the first opportunity to read from the Torah scroll. At the end of the Sabbath prayers, he is called up to offer the priestly blessing over the congregation. Priests are also responsible for ritual functions in the community like the redemption of firstborn sons.

Despite these modern functions, the Aaronic priesthood isn't what it used to be. In the days when the Tabernacle (or Temple) stood, the priesthood was a crucial component in the service of God. They were responsible for worship services. They handled the sacrifices and took care of the altar fires, lit the menorah, burned the sacred incense, baked the bread of the Presence and did all the service of the Tabernacle. They carried out the divine service on behalf of the entire nation of Israel. Moreover, they were responsible for teaching the people Torah.

The priesthood illustrates our relationship to God. Like the common Israelite in the days of the Tabernalce, we are unable to enter directly into the presence of God. Instead, we need a go-between—an intermediary. In the Tabernacle and the Temple, the intermediaries were called priests. They facilitated the relationship between God and the people of Israel. In a similar way, we disciples of Yeshua regard our Savior as our intermediary with God. He is the go-between who acts as a priest for us in the heavenly Temple. However, the priesthood of our Master is a spiritual one, and does not supplant the worldly, eternal priesthood promised to the sons of Aaron.

The priests have been out of work since the destruction of the Temple, but they could be called back to work if the Temple was ever rebuilt. The priests today await the rebuilding of the holy Temple in Jerusalem, when they will be called up for duty. One day they will be. According to the prophet Jeremiah, God's promise to restore the Aaronic priesthood is inseparably linked with his promise to send the Davidic Messiah:

Thus says the LORD, "If you can break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers." (Jeremiah 33:20-21)

[DVRH] Observing the Shabbat is

Observing Shabbat (the Sabbath) is a central aspect of living a Torah Observant life. As there are an increasing number of believers in Yeshua HaMashiach who are learning and trying to follow His example. Some of the most obvious things that Yeshua did were observe the feasts and holy days that YHVH commanded all to keep and observe.

There are several days that are commanded in Torah, but the first and foremost is the Shabbat, also known as the Sabbath. This day is not only the most popular, but it is also the day of observance that is celebrated more than all others. The Shabbat happens on the seventh day of every week, starting from the Gregorian Friday evening at sundown to the following Saturday evening at sundown.

There are those that have gone full-blown into celebrating the Sabbath within a matter of a week to a month, while many others for various reasons take their time. Both are acceptable; YHVH knows your heart and your capacity. And as long as one is looking to Him and obeying Him in all things including how, when and to what degree each holy day be observed, then all is heading in the right direction.

DVRH

Shemot “Names” – Shemot (Exodus) 1:1 – 6:1

21 Tevet 5769 – Jan. 17, 2009

The rejection we experience when we try to do HaShem’s will is difficult to overcome. Even the mature believer finds it difficult to overcome the pain of rejection that comes when his or her desire to do HaShem’s will is not accepted by friends and family. Clearly Moshe also experienced rejection. For example, Moshe was continually fighting the Children of Yisrael’s resistance to the will of HaShem. Moshe became so discouraged in this struggle that He became disobedient. Bamidbar 20:11-13 states “Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, because you believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, from now on you will not bring this congregation into the land, which I have given them. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.” Moshe’s disobedience caused him to forfeit leading the Children of Yisrael into the Promised Land. We can also become disobedient when we respond hastily to the rejection that we receive from others. Anytime HaShem is actively involved in our lives, we will encounter resistance from other individuals that makes us fell rejected. Understanding, how other people use resistance to prevent us from fulfilling HaShem's will in our lives is crucial if we are going to avoid feeling rejected and responding inappropriately. Shemot makes it clear that when HaShem is moving in the midst of Yisrael the Yisraelites experienced resistance to the will of HaShem. In Shemot the resistance the Yisraelites experienced can be categorized as internal and external.

Internal resistance is the personal struggle that occurs between HaShem and an individual. Moshe experienced this type of resistance. Shemot 4:1 states “Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice: for they will say, The LORD has not appeared to you.” Moshe was afraid to speak to the Children of Yisrael, because he thought they would not believe that he had spoken to God. This resistance to HaShem’s will, came from Moshe’s personal fear of what people might think. Moshe had no physical reason to be afraid. Moshe was basing his fear on what might happen. As a reassurance HaShem gave Moshe signs and wonders to convince the Children of Yisrael that he was truly sent by HaShem. Even with the signs and wonders Moshe was still afraid. Therefore, Moshe tried to convince HaShem he was not a good speaker. Shemot 4:10-11 states “Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the LORD?” This internal struggle prevented Moshe from using HaShem's strength to overcome. As a result, HaShem became angry and replaced Moshe as the primary speaker to Yisrael. Shemot 4:15-16 states, “the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet you: and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. And you shall speak to him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do.” HaShem replaced Moshe as the primary speaker, because Moshe succumbed to the internal resistance, he faced. As a result, Aaron completed part of the mission that was originally given to Moshe.

The other type of resistance to HaShem’s will is external. External resistance always manifests its self in group situations. This is because any individual externally resisting a movement of HaShem desires company. In other words, people chose up sides to justify their positions. This type of resistance to HaShem fractures the body. The Pharaoh mentioned in Shemot is a good example of this type of resistance. HaShem’s promise was manifesting as fruitfulness in the Yisraelites. As a result, the Yisraelites were growing in numbers as Shemot 1:6-7 states “Yosef died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” Seeing HaShem bless the Children of Yisrael angered the Pharaoh. Therefore, the Pharaoh tried to get the midwives on his side. To accomplish this he applied pressure by ordering the midwives to kill all newborn Hebrew males. Shemot 1:15-16 states “the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.” Through murder Pharaoh intended to intimidate the Children of Yisrael and destroy their ability to fulfill HaShem’s promise. However, the midwives feared HaShem more than Pharaoh as Shemot 1:17 states “But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.” As a result, the Pharaoh's plan would not succeed through the midwives. Therefore, Pharaoh made his threat publicly, thereby trying to convince all the people to be on his side. Shemot 1:22 states “Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.” However, Moshe's parents feared HaShem more than they feared the Pharaoh. Shemot 2:2-3 states “the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.” If Pharaoh’s resistance to HaShem's will succeeded the newborn Moshe would have been murdered. As a result, HaShem’s plan of deliverance would not have been fulfilled, and the Children of Yisrael would not have been led to the Promised Land. The midwives and the parents of Moshe displayed a strength of character seldom seen. The midwives and the parents feared HaShem more then they feared the repercussions of the Pharaoh. Therefore, HaShem was able to use them to fulfill his promise and deliver Yisrael.

When HaShem moves in our congregations or our lives it is inevitable that resistance will come. As believers we need to understand that this resistance comes internally and externally. Internal resistance is when we desire to put our will ahead of the will of HaShem. As a result, we do what we want and not what HaShem wants. External resistance is from an outside source that wants to stop HaShem from fulfilling His plan. Yeshua warns us that overcoming resistance will not be easy. In fact, when we make Yeshua Lord of our lives it is guaranteed that we will encounter resistance. We can see this in Mt 10:33-37 which states “whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” To overcome we must learn to place the will of Yeshua above our will and we must fear HaShem more than we fear the resistance. To overcome we must be bold in Yeshua and focus on His strength and not on the resistance that we encounter.

Rabbi Yaakov benYosef - ABOUT Torah